“Close to nature, close to God.”
Caleruega Church is often mistaken to be located in Tagaytay, Cavite. Its real location is in Nasugbu, Batangas, which is less than 30 minutes away from Tagaytay depending on traffic. Like Tagaytay, Nasugbu is also a mountainous town. It is the home of some upscale beach resorts and the famous island resort, Fortune Island.
Other than Caleruega Church itself which has become famous shooting spot of Pinoy films and teleseryes especially for wedding scenes, there are many attractions inside Caleruega Church’s compound that you will surely enjoy.
There is Koi Pond, Garden Café, farm and many more.
Though we didn’t have enough time to explore every corner of the church’s compound, our eyes were already satisfied with the spectacular view of the mountains.
There is an entrance fee to access the whole compound which is about 40 pesos. But that entrance fee is not bad because the compound is well maintained. They have enough comfort rooms which are clean, and you won’t see any garbage on the floor.
How to get there:
It is about 3-4 hour drive from Manila. It is best to come early because you need to pass through Tagaytay when getting there, and traffic in Tagaytay can be awful especially on weekends.
It is best to come with your own car than to commute because the compound is secluded and not accessible via public transport.
But if you don’t have a choice but to commute, you can ride a bus going to Nasugbu, Batangas from LRT Gil Puyat. You can alight at KC Hillcrest Hotel and Golf Club (formerly known as Evercrest Golf Club Resort) in Batulao, Nasugbu, Batangas. From Evercrest you can ride a tricycle going to Caleruega Church in Brgy. Caylaway, Batulao, Nasugbu, Batangas.
Additional reminder:
It is better to bring your own food than to buy. Food stalls outside the compound are “presyong panturista.” But luckily there is a karinderia there where you can eat your baon and you just have to rent their table for a reasonable price.
Joyce Rochelle Montañano 